Chicago Police: 6,500 guns seized so far this year

CHICAGO — Chicago Police say they have seized more than 6,500 illegal firearms this year.

The department routinely leads the nation in the number of guns seized by a wide margin. The latest totals put the force on pace to confiscate about 7,000 illegal guns for the year.

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has said that the seizure of illegal firearms is part of a crime fighting effort that has resulted in a significant drop in the number of homicides and shootings this year. In 2012 the city's violence — and a total of more than 500 homicides — caught the attention of the national media.

In a news release, McCarthy reiterated his contention that even tougher state and federal gun laws are needed to reduce those numbers.